1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electric power control system and an electric power control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An electric power meter that can measure electric power used in an ordinary home, a factory, or an office is conventionally known. An electric power control system discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-281885 includes a plurality of electric power meters respectively provided for electric power loads, generates data relating to working current used in each electric power load, and transmits the generated current data to an electric power control server. On the other hand, the electric power control server calculates a sum of working current values of respective electric power loads received from respective electric power meters. If the calculated sum exceeds a contract ampere, the electric power control server selects a corresponding detection apparatus and transmits a command instructing shutoff of electric power supplied to an electric power load.
As a result, the electric power control system discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-281885 can perform electric power shutdown processing for each electric power load when the working current exceeds the contract ampere, without causing a breaker to stop the electric power supply to all loads.
A printing system will be discussed below which includes a printing apparatus (e.g., a printer, a digital copying machine, a digital multifunction peripheral, or a facsimile apparatus), an accessory (e.g., a paper finisher) and a print server that can generate print image data. In such a printing system, it is general that the printing apparatus, the accessory, and the print server are connected to different AC power sources that are dedicated to respective devices. Further, the printing system is configured to perform a printing operation only when the electric power is supplied to all of the printing apparatus, the accessory, and the print server.
However, if the technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-281885 is applied to the above-mentioned printing system, the electric power supply to a part of a plurality of apparatuses whose power source systems are different will be stopped. Therefore, it is undesirable in that the electric power is uselessly consumed because the electric power is continuously supplied to the remaining apparatus, even though the entire printing system cannot perform operations normally.
For example, it is now assumed that electric power is continuously supplied to the print server and the accessory in a state where electric power supply to the printing apparatus is stopped. In this case, although the print server can generate print image data, the print server cannot transmit the generated print image data to the printing apparatus. Further, when the printing apparatus cannot print any image on a paper, no paper can be fed to the accessory. Therefore, the print server and the accessory may uselessly consume electric power.